# Is there a word for the concept of inner peace that comes from accepting that things won't work out **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422 "2018-05-18T19:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/1 "2018-05-18T19:25:25Z")
I don’t know if fatalism is the right word. But for example you try to be healthy in your 40s and 50s, being extremely neurotic about being in perfect health and then one day you accept that everyone’s health will fail, it is inevitable for you too, and you feel a sense of inner peace at giving up a futile struggle (in this case the futile struggle to be I perfect health forever). Or you want a relationship, fail over and over again and finally just develop a sense of inner peace knowing it probably won’t work out and you don’t have to fight it. Is there a word for this, preferably in English? ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/2 "2018-05-18T19:29:47Z")
Acceptance? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/3 "2018-05-18T19:33:14Z")
Stoicism? > **[Stoicism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism)** > > Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BCE. It is a philosophy of personal virtue ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world, asserting that the practice of virtue is both necessary and sufficient to achieve eudaimonia (happiness, lit. 'good spiritedness'): one flourishes by living an ethical life. The Stoics identified the path to eudaimonia with a life spent practicing virtue and living in acc... [INDENT]Stoicism is predominantly a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting this moment as it presents itself, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature’s plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly. [/INDENT] ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/4 "2018-05-18T19:52:49Z")
Resigned? Or Forbearance? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/5 "2018-05-18T20:31:29Z")
I always say: “I’m much happier now that I’ve ‘given up hope.’” ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/6 "2018-05-18T20:32:36Z")
Serenity. Acceptance is a major component. Also resignation. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/7 "2018-05-18T20:58:35Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I always say: “I’m much happier now that I’ve ‘given up hope.’” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FfnhmuZ27eQ/hqdefault.jpg "It's Not The Despair ...") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfnhmuZ27eQ) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/8 "2018-05-18T21:59:21Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Stoicism? > > [Stoicism - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism) > > [INDENT]Stoicism is predominantly a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting this moment as it presents itself, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature’s plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly. [/INDENT] Came here to post this. Should have known someone here would already have it. Seems the right answer to me and also a philosophy that works well for me personally. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/9 "2018-05-19T01:58:46Z")
Maybe “Flow” as described by Csíkszentmihályi has some bearing on this too. It depends how you prefer to think about it. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/10 "2018-05-19T03:05:39Z")
“To accept with grace those things that we cannot change.” That was posted to me by a friend shortly after being diagnosed with my current illness and followed by my loss of work: In her post it was attributed to Buddha, but knowing next to nothing about Buddhism I don’t know if there’s a specific term for that. It sure summed things up for me to improve my outlook. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/11 "2018-05-19T03:13:21Z")
In Dialectical Behavior Therapy, taking from Buddhist expressions, calls it “radical acceptance.” ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/12 "2018-05-19T04:31:42Z")
[The Serenity Prayer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer) probably deserves a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/13 "2018-05-19T04:48:03Z")
Resignation. Also, “Fuck it”. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/14 "2018-05-19T18:58:49Z")
“C’est la vie.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/15 "2018-05-19T19:20:44Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I don’t know if fatalism is the right word. But for example you try to be healthy in your 40s and 50s, being extremely neurotic about being in perfect health and then one day you accept that everyone’s health will fail, it is inevitable for you too, and you feel a sense of inner peace at giving up a futile struggle (in this case the futile struggle to be I perfect health forever). > > Or you want a relationship, fail over and over again and finally just develop a sense of inner peace knowing it probably won’t work out and you don’t have to fight it. > > Is there a word for this, preferably in English? Resolution? ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/16 "2018-05-19T19:21:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Resigned? > Or Forbearance? I think resigned is about right. Resignation. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/17 "2018-05-20T00:53:59Z")
not a word, but a phrase from a friend of mine: having no more fucks to give. I like “acceptance.” ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/18 "2018-05-20T10:28:49Z")
Yes, there is such a word. I worked for years to earn a living but grew weary of the tread mill and my lifestyle was not working out. The word is . . . Retirement. It’s followed by contentment. And one day, death, but after that then I won’t give a shit. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/19 "2018-05-20T11:45:47Z")
Surrenderance in the Christian sense fits very well. Put down one’s own plan and ambitions to that of God and God’s Kingdom and His will and plan. It is often reported that many experience a great sense of peace, balance, joy and relief from that act. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422/20 "2018-05-20T12:57:17Z")
Well, there is [nirvana/satori](http://www.zen-buddhism.net/buddhist-principles/four-noble-truths.html) from Buddhism. The idea is that the root of all suffering is desire–wanting to have things that you don’t have and wanting the world to be different than it is. Learning to let go of those desires leads to nirvana (nevermind it not being originally English.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-concept-of-inner-peace-that-comes-from-accepting-that-things-wont-work-out/814422.md?page=2)